Being the "Party of Political Correctness"

The recent debate over the Florida State Seminoles mascot (probably only one of many times that has happened,) not to mention all the debates over the Chief Wahoo mascot I've seen as a Cleveland Indians fan, has had me thinking.

What can we do at the "frameshop" to avoid blurring the line between our history of positive progressivism and "political correctness?"  How can we avoid bleeding voters who might support us on many issues, but think that we pander to hypersensitivity?

Should we reference how Hannity and Limbaugh cry about the "racism" of voting against Condi Rice, Clarence Thomas and Alberto Gonzales, for one?

I personally am "anti-hypersensitivity," but I also have to laugh at how the Notre Dame logo is used as a "counterexample," because white/Irish people are not minorities and it's not the same thing to portray them as "fighters." It's an important issue not just because of the voters mentioned above, but ever since 9/11 the whole issue of "profiling" at airports and in terrorism prevention in general has been serious.

•  tip jar/comments plzthx

  nt

  by BlueEngineerInOhio on Tue Aug 23, 2005 at 04:12:22 PM PDT

•  We could start by having...

  ...people like you from lying by claiming that issues like the Seminole name are partisan. The Democratic Party doesn't control the NCAA. Neither party platform endorses or condemns Native American mascots.

  by Elwood Dowd on Tue Aug 23, 2005 at 04:15:13 PM PDT

•  simple.

  Just stop being politically correct. There are some instances where it is necessary, saying things like nigger or kike are not appropriate. But there is a line that gets crossed and then it becomes über politically correct. Like saying it is offensive to call an Native American an American Indian, when they themselves prefer that term. Just stop the hypersensitivy because you cannot not offend someone all the time, people see and hear things that are offensive every single day and we don't go crying to our mommies...you just deal with it and move on. Democrats simply need to stop it and then problem goes away.

  by michael1104 on Tue Aug 23, 2005 at 04:16:15 PM PDT

  •  Bullshit

    I hope that was un-PC enough for you.

    a) You're saying "Democrats need to stop that" about an NCAA action. (As opposed to saying right now, "The GOP needs to stop calling for murder," which would apply to one of their previous Presidential candidates.)

    b) If you think what Dems actually say and do has anything to do with the attacks that the GOP launches against us, you haven't been paying attention.

    by Elwood Dowd on Tue Aug 23, 2005 at 04:23:57 PM PDT

    •  You read wrong...

      I wasn't talking about NCAA specifically, I was talking about political correctness is general. And yes, I think Democrats who advocate for extreme political correctness should STOP IT.

      And secodnly, this isn't about what the GOP says. This is about perception. If you do not think that Dems are perceived as being extrememly politically correct (even if some or most Democrats are not) then you need to get out there more and talk to people, because that is defnitely true.

      by michael1104 on Tue Aug 23, 2005 at 04:29:41 PM PDT

      •  And when the GOP noise machine...

        says that Democrats are captives of the unions, we should move to the right on labor issues -- even though Clinton pushed NAFTA through.

        When the GNM says we're 'tax and spend,' we should get in line and support the Bush tax cuts.

        When the GNM says we're weak on defense, we should line up and support the invasion of Iraq.

        Here's a different idea: why don't we take aim and blow up the GOP Noise Machine and all its lies?

        by Elwood Dowd on Tue Aug 23, 2005 at 04:38:12 PM PDT

        •  I totally agree.

          And I'm not saying move to the right, I'm saying let's clear up negative perceptions of the Democratic party whatever they are! I can't see anyone here who would not agree with shattering the "tax and spend", "weak on defence", or "politically correct" labels. Like I said before, I never said Dems are as a whole these politically correct ubersensitive hippies, all I'm saying is that we are associated with anything that is politically correct and we should take steps to end that perception because it hurts us, much like weak on defence hurts us.

          by michael1104 on Tue Aug 23, 2005 at 04:42:34 PM PDT

•  Are you saying that

  it was liberals who insisted on the NCAA mascot and team name changes and that we should loosen up about some things like that?

  by nupstateny on Tue Aug 23, 2005 at 04:17:08 PM PDT

  •  For both you and Elwood

    I never remember saying that, but there are plenty of other examples where we end up shouldering the blame for being PC (I was just using a recent example.)

    Here, read fullfigure's post (on a board that technically forbids politics) if you don't believe that it's at least a perception.

    by BlueEngineerInOhio on Tue Aug 23, 2005 at 04:24:18 PM PDT

    •  It was probably your

      first sentence with the link that made me think that you were saying that it was our PC-ness that created that situation.

      If that's not the case, then I apologize to you for what I was thinking but didn't say.

      by nupstateny on Tue Aug 23, 2005 at 04:30:29 PM PDT

•  I think

  what the diarist is trying to say is that Democrats are ragarded as being the party of political correctness. That is definitely a fact, it does not mean that all Democrats are politically correct, but it is true that this perception is out there. And the problem with that perception is that when such issues come up, like the NCAA policy, or the Christmas time brouhahas that come about every other year, they get associated with the Dems and liberals regardless of whether they are involved or not. It's a perception and guilt by association problem. I happen to agree that it's a problem for us, and would like to see steps to get away from that perception. Because as we all know, perception is reality.

  by michael1104 on Tue Aug 23, 2005 at 04:26:14 PM PDT

  •  in response

    to nupstateny...hate it when this happens.

    by michael1104 on Tue Aug 23, 2005 at 04:26:49 PM PDT

    •  I asked a

      sincere question.  

      by nupstateny on Tue Aug 23, 2005 at 04:34:12 PM PDT

      •  and

        I answered your question, when I said "hate it when this happens" I was talking about when you reply to someone but you hit the wrong button and it makes it as a new comment.

        by michael1104 on Tue Aug 23, 2005 at 04:45:01 PM PDT

•  You ask:

  "How can we avoid bleeding voters who might support us on many issues, but think that we pander to hypersensitivity?"

  We can stop always playing defense. Once you start trying to defend and explain, you've already lost. We have to learn to respond to attacks with attacks, not explanations.

  by GussieFN on Tue Aug 23, 2005 at 04:34:45 PM PDT

•  As far as I can tell

  He wasn't using the NCAA action as an example, but rather an incident which set off this train of thought he had, which has occurred to me before. I'm also "anti-hypersensitivity", and I do frankly think people overreact sometimes, and that is identified with the Democratic Party.

  Thing is, I don't know what we can do about that perception. The Democratic Party ought not to play ridiculous PC word games, but it ought to combat genuine discrimination and racism in our society. That kind of means we'll get tagged along by people who insist on being called "womyn" (not that I'm trying to insult feminism, I'm just using it as an example of something mocked by the opposition). So by all means we shouldn't pander in outrageous ways, but we might as well be glad that we're attracting other people who genuinely care about ending discrimination in our society, zealous as some might be.

  by Lawnmower on Tue Aug 23, 2005 at 04:45:36 PM PDT

•  Start by

  Stop being sensitive, make an effort to talk out without concern for how it might appear politically.  Stand up and speak your mind even if it might offend someone.  Which means stop parsing words on the Irag situation and call Bush a fucking piece of shit liar that should be run out of town on a rail...or sent a "lifetime" supply of pretzels.

  Start by not using the term African American.  Its a stupid term and to those that use it that are black its simply running away from their skin color.  Its my biggest pet pieve.  As if there is some problem with being black.  I'ld like to see a politician not use the term on a consistent basis and then build on getting black voters to back liberal candidates that don't use the term.  It might also help to not nitpick every word the other guy is using, like the use of "you people" by Perot. Why should I even remember the fact that he used that expression except for what stirred up as a result.  

  I do believe Dems have the reputation for being too sensitive with their words.  The result of that sensitivity is that the right can say Dems  are sensitive --> are too sensitive --> want to be sensitive to the needs of others --> want to be sensitive to the needs of terrorists.  Stop screwin' around and just tell it like it is.  Offend a few people that are themselves too sensitive until the cycle is broken and honesty and openness prevails.  You'll win more people over than you turn away.  Of course if its easier to say something one way, which may be PC, don't struggle to say it in an alternate way.  Its dishonest and it shows.

  Republicans are PC too.  The whole idea of not profiling arab men at airports is ridiculous but people in this administration are constantly talking against it.  They know good and well the white grandma picked randomly out of the line isn't carrying a bomb and that its a waste of effort to search her. Go for the clean cut dark skinned male behind her instead or maybe just the male, or maybe the young female that doesn't look like a college student.  They may not carry either but its a better use of time.  I tell you what, don't profile for those people that need to be searched, profile for those that don't.  The administration security "experts" will say that profiling puts blinders on law enforcement to the new paths of terrorists.  Sure it does, unless you tell law enforcement not to fall victim to it.  So profile but have a competing policy that goes alongside it. At the same time don't round up every arab in the country and put them on a list.

  Indian nations aren't all against the use of their names as mascots.  The Seminoles in Florida are not, they control the FSU mascot.  Those that are might want to consider the old adage 'out of site, out of mind'.  If they don't advertise by being symbols of strength then they may find that people see them as drunks sitting on reservations gathering government checks (that they deserve but then saying so is an attempt to not offend).  

  by jrflorida on Tue Aug 23, 2005 at 05:04:41 PM PDT

•  Being Sensitive Is Not Wrong

  Leaving to one side any issues related to the Seminoles (since I believe the NCAA has approved FSU's use of the name and the Seminole Tribe supports the use of the name), I think it is appropriate for members of the Democratic Party to avoid using phrases like "illegal amigos" or to make fun of Senator Lieberman when he grows a beard while in mourning after the death of his mother.

  It does not take much effort to avoid using stereotypes in our speech; it may take a little more effort to understand other cultures and religions.  

  by eafredel on Tue Aug 23, 2005 at 05:09:48 PM PDT